it will impose new and very strict terms on national economies for budgetary restraint, but can it be enforced? that is the question merkel faces today. >> peter, thanks. german consumer confidence looks set to remain stable next month, despite concerns that an economic slowdown has begun. >> market research company gfk says germans are as willing to spend money in october as they had been answered timber, but they are more pessimistic about their income in the future, fearing it could drop considerably -- germans are as willing to spend money in october as they had been in september. let's take a look at tuesday's market action. things are actually pretty good on the markets. let's kick off in frankfurt where the gap had finished up -- not by a whole lot, but still green on the screen -- where the dax had finished up. across the atlantic, the dow down by 0.5% at this hour, and on currency markets, the year of trading a little bit lower against the greenback, $1.2910. austrian skydiver -- an austrian skydiver is preparing for a historic feat. in two weeks, he aims to be the first pers